papercraftalex's reviews
356 reviews

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

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emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is such a beautiful multi-generational novel. The juxtaposition of Talia, born in America but raised in Colombia, and Karina, born in Colombia but raised in America, was so telling of the immigrant experience. The character voices were so strong and they all felt very real. The writing was lyrical and truthful. I highly recommend. 
A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked the plot and romance of this one more than A Merry Little Meetcute, but the conflict and 3rd act breakup was worse and I found Winnie so annoying at times. In the first book, I could see why Bee was mad at Nolan, but I also saw Nolan's perspective and it was a nuanced and complicated issue. This conflict felt contrived and forced. Kallum spent the entire book being responsible and caring, why did no one around him think he was responsible and caring just because he made a few very human mistakes? I did enjoy the surprise pregnancy (I know a lot of people don't like that in their books), but I think the story focused too much on that and not enough on the romance. The first half was so strong and then it just went downhill. I really adored Kallum though and his romance with Winnie was so tender and the sex scenes were very well done. I'm excited for the third book, especially because we haven't read much about Isaac.
Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This was an absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful collection of poetry that I hope everyone gets the chance to read. The way the author immortalized his grandmother and the history of Palestinian colonization was perfect. He made such terrible things into a work of art.
Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love by Tori Dunlap

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funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is the perfect beginner's finance book. It breaks things down so easily without shame in a very easy to read way. I love how Tori never makes anyone feel bad if they've made financial mistakes in the past and she acknowledges systemic issues that keep people (especially women and people of color) impoverished. It's definitely a book you should read slowly so you can absorb all the information and do the journal prompts (which are a really important addition; knowing why you make the decisions you make allows you to actually change). You don't have to be a woman to read this; Tori includes many other voices too to speak on different topics, which I appreciated. Financial Feminist is really worth the read whether you're just beginning to enter the adult world or fully immersed, whether you're in massive amounts of debt or you have a massive savings account you don't want to touch. She holds your hand through it all in a way I wish adults did when I was a child. I'm going to make my 16 year old brother read this next.
Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam

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3.5

This was a cute graphic novel, but I think it lacked depth and felt rushed. The side characters changed very quickly and it didn't feel like a developed arc. It's supposed to be a series, so I think it could have been spaced out better. The world building wasn't very strong, but that doesn't bother me. I was bothered by the cliched plot. It didn't feel very original and it felt a little young for the middle-grade category. I think younger children will enjoy and get a lot out of it! I still may read the next volumes because it does seem like the author has potential to grow.
Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Boys Weekend was a great exploration of transmisogyny, toxic masculinity, and growing out of friendships, but the plot was a bit underdeveloped. The book would have been amazing if it were longer and had the chance to explore cults more, but the conflict sped by too quickly and didn't really make sense. The story was still good and the characterization and art were great. I still recommend and I hope the author has more chances to expand their writing in the future. 
The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a truly heartfelt graphic novel. It was actually more scary than I thought it would be, but I am a scaredy cat. The art is so detailed and almost comic book like, and it works well with the story. The characters all feel very real and very much like middle schoolers. There is great representation with an autistic main character and a trans main character; the autistic main character was really well done and it never felt like she needed to change herself
in fact, her autism and understanding of being misunderstood is what ends up saving the day
. Overall, I highly recommend. 
Romanticize Your Life: 365 Simple Ways to Embrace the Beauty of Every Day by Harper Celebrate

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1.0

I had high hopes for this book and it was incredibly disappointing. It is basically like one of those daily calendars you tear a page off every day, there is nothing substantial or original about it. It is very consumerist. Half of the tips were so basic and lukewarm, and the other half were actively harmful. Do not put essential oils in the dryer. Do not support the police. Do not "find your spirit animal." It wouldn't surprise me if this book was written a decade ago. 

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Cosmic Companion Workbook: A Guide for Incorporating Astrology Into Your Life by The Pulp Girls, The Pulp Girls

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informative lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

This was a great workbook for learning the basics of astrology! The unique art style featured on The Pulp Girls' social media is also prominent in the workbook, which makes it so aesthetically pleasing. The workbook is broken up into learning the very basics (signs, planets, houses), learning how to use astrology for self-reflection, compatibility, basic astrological events (new and full moons and mercury retrogrades, and some quintessential Pulp Girls activities like a word search and tarot cards for each of the signs. While the information is very beginner, I think everyone can utilize the journal prompts and get something new out of it!

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What You Are Looking For Is In the Library is an absolutely stunning short story collection for all book lovers. It truly shows the power of libraries and reading in such a heartfelt and inspiring way. I want everyone to read this.